Dog Provides Reading Therapy

Link to April 17 Fond du Lac Reporter article, "Readers unleashed: Therapy dog helps promote literacy".

Excerpt: Choosing short stories, like “Russell the Sheep, “Biscuit Visits the Farm,” and “Roy the Cowboy,” 6-year-old Theo Rauch of Ripon snuggled up with the sheltie recently for an afternoon of reading at the Ripon Public Library.

“It was sort of funky,” the 6-year-old related. “Usually, you read to your parents or they read to you.”

The 3-year-old sheltie is a professionally trained therapy dog whose handler, Lori Kannenberg, has a passion for supporting young readers on their way to proficiency.

Children who may struggle with reading, or who simply lack the motivation, get excited when they sit down to read aloud, one-on-one with Kiani, said Ripon Librarian Linda DeCramer.